System and apparatus for collecting information for use in a smart antenna system

Abstract

A method of obtaining information for use in a smart antenna system is provided. The method includes monitoring an interface between a base station controller and a base station transceiver to receive signaling information being communicated via the interface. The method further includes extracting from the signaling information a subset of the signaling information operable to be used as input for selecting one or more of a plurality of beams for wireless communications.

1. An antenna apparatus comprising:
 an antenna unit capable of receiving and processing signaling and/or control information being communicated between base station controller and a base station transceiver, the smart antenna unit comprising a signaling information monitoring system coupled to an interface, wherein the interface is coupled to a base station controller and a base station transceiver and wherein the signaling information monitoring system further comprises; 
 a monitoring unit capable of collecting, and/or monitoring, information being communicated between a base station controller and a base station transceiver; and 
 an extracting unit capable of extracting relevant signaling information from the information collected by the monitoring unit. 
 
   
   
     2. An antenna apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the interface is capable of communicating in one or more traffic channels for communicating voice or data signals and one more signaling channels for communicating the signaling and/or control information. 
   
   
     3. An antenna apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the signaling and/or control information comprises information with regard to one or more traffic channels. 
   
   
     4. An antenna apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the monitoring unit comprises;
 a signal splitter capable of splitting an interface signal communicated between the base station controller and the base station transceiver into a first path connecting the base station controller and the base station transceiver and a second path transmitted to the signaling information monitoring system; 
 a first decoding module capable of receiving signals communicated via the second path and further capable of a first level of decoding of signals received via the second path; and 
 a second decoding module capable of decoding data received from first decoding module. 
 
   
   
     5. An antenna apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the first decoding module is E1/T1 decoding module. 
   
   
     6. An antenna apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the second decoding module is a Layer  2  Link Access Procedure on the D-Channel decoder. 
   
   
     7. An antenna apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the signal splitter is capable of splitting the interface signal communicated between the base station controller and the base station transceiver without substantially affecting the communication of signaling information and/or traffic information communicated between the base station controller and the base station transceiver. 
   
   
     8. An antenna apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the signal splitter is capable of connecting signaling information monitoring module and the interface using a high impedance signal. 
   
   
     9. An antenna apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the signal splitter is capable of connecting signaling information monitoring module and the interface without amplifying the signal being communicated via the second path. 
   
   
     10. An antenna apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the extracting unit comprises;
 a first filtering module capable of filtering the data received from the second decoding module; a third decoding module capable of decoding the data received from the first filtering module; 
 a second filtering module capable of filtering and/or decoding data received from the third decoding module; and 
 a pre-processing module capable of organizing the data received from the second filtering module. 
 
   
   
     11. An antenna apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the first filtering module is a Link Access Procedure on the D-Channel filtering module. 
   
   
     12. An antenna apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the third decoding module is a Layer  3  Base Transceiver Station Management decoding module. 
   
   
     13. An antenna apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the second filtering module is an Information Elements filtering module. 
   
   
     14. A system comprising:
 an antenna unit capable of receiving and processing signaling and/or control information being communicated between base station controller and a base station transceiver, the smart antenna unit comprising a signaling information monitoring system coupled to an interface, wherein the interface is coupled to a base station controller and a base station transceiver and wherein the signaling information monitoring system further comprises; 
 a monitoring unit capable of collecting, and/or monitoring, information being communicated between a base station controller and a base station transceiver; and 
 an extracting unit capable of extracting relevant signaling information from the information collected by the monitoring unit. 
 
   
   
     15. An antenna system of  claim 14 , wherein the interface is capable of communicating in one or more traffic channels for communicating voice or data signals and one more signaling channels for communicating the signaling and/or control information. 
   
   
     16. An antenna system of  claim 14 , wherein the signaling and/or control information comprises information with regard to one or more traffic channels. 
   
   
     17. An antenna system of  claim 14 , wherein the monitoring unit comprises;
 a signal splitter capable of splitting an interface signal communicated between the base station controller and the base station transceiver into a first path connecting the base station controller and the base station transceiver and a second path transmitted to the signaling information monitoring system; 
 a first decoding module capable of receiving signals communicated via the second path and further capable of a first level of decoding of signals received via the second path; and 
 a second decoding module capable of decoding data received from first decoding module. 
 
   
   
     18. An antenna system of  claim 17 , wherein the first decoding module is E1/T1 decoding module. 
   
   
     19. An antenna system of  claim 17 , wherein the second decoding module is a Layer  2  Link Access Procedure on the D-Channel decoder. 
   
   
     20. An antenna system of  claim 17 , wherein the signal splitter is capable of splitting the interface signal communicated between the base station controller and the base station transceiver without substantially affecting the communication of signaling information and/or traffic information communicated between the base station controller and the base station transceiver. 
   
   
     21. An antenna system of  claim 20 , wherein the signal splitter is capable of connecting signaling information monitoring module and the interface using a high impedance signal. 
   
   
     22. An antenna system of  claim 20 , wherein the signal splitter is capable of connecting signaling information monitoring module and the interface without amplifying the signal being communicated via the second path. 
   
   
     23. An antenna system of  claim 17 , wherein the extracting unit comprises;
 a first filtering module capable of filtering the data received from the second decoding module; 
 a third decoding module capable of decoding the data received from the first filtering module; 
 a second filtering module capable of filtering and/or decoding data received from the third decoding module; and 
 a pre-processing module capable of organizing the data received from the second filtering module. 
 
   
   
     24. An antenna system of  claim 17 , wherein the first filtering module is a Link Access Procedure on the D-Channel filtering module. 
   
   
     25. An antenna system of  claim 17 , wherein the third decoding module is a Layer  3  Base Transceiver Station Management decoding module. 
   
   
     26. An antenna system of  claim 17 , wherein the second filtering module is an Information Elements filtering module.